A federal appeals court says California prison officials must promptly investigate and record all allegations of inmates who claim they are being deprived of disability accommodations.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday affirmed a 2012 lower court order that required the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to investigate and record disabled inmate grievances. Previously, the department disregarded many of the complaints without documenting or investigating them.

The grievances included requests by paralyzed inmates for beds designed for people with limited mobility.

Prison officials had appealed the lower court ruling, arguing that the only needed to record and report claims they substantiated. Officials also argued they weren't required to investigate complaints that didn't allege staff misconduct.

The ruling arises from a lawsuit initially filed in 1994 by disabled inmates.